* - Bought at any grocery or farmer's market, with almost no plastic packaging (fruits and veg can be put directly into the cart without wrapping any of those flimsy plastics round it. they'll be washed later anyway! Glass packaging and metal cans can be recycled continuously unlike plastic that gets downgraded quality-wise each time it's recycled, til it finally can only be discarded)
* - Bought/refilled in bulk at a package-free grocery like Nada or The Soap Dispensary, reusing any container that I already own.
* - Refilled from the extensive bulk section at Save-On Foods grocery. I fill my plastics, transfer the food into my reused glass jars back home, wash the plastics and then bring them back to the grocery each time to keep reusing them.
So the pics here might not look the best because I've been getting by with dim lighting and my iPhone, but I promise they taste great!
SCRAMBLED TOFU
Ingredients:
- 1-2 blocks firm tofu *
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced *
- 1 red bell pepper, diced *- ~1 can black beans, drained and rinsed *
- 1 cup brown mushrooms, sliced *
- 1 bundle of spinach, chopped *
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil *
- 3 cloves garlic *
(for the spice mix):
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast *
- 1 tsp chilli powder *
- 1 tsp ground cumin *
- 1 tsp normal salt *
- ¾ tsp turmeric *
- ¼ tsp garlic powder *
Directions:
- Combine all the spice mix ingredients together in a bowl and stir.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic and mushrooms. Cook til they start to turn brown.
- Add the whole tofu blocks and use a spatula/spoon to break and mash them up to achieve a chunky texture.
- Stir in the spice mix, spinach and black beans. Cook until everything is hot.
- Serve with brown rice and half a fresh avocado, etc!
BAKED SWEET POTATO & GUAC
Soo so good and full of nutrition.
Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, sliced into discs *
Vegetable oil *
Salt *
Black pepper *
Ground cumin *
Paprika *
(Guacamole):
1 tomato, diced *
1 ripe avocado *
1 small lemon slice *
Directions:
- Add salt, black pepper, cumin and paprika to the sweet potato discs in a large bowl to taste. Add a little vegetable oil and massage everything into the potatoes using hands.
- Line the sweet potatoes onto a baking tray.
- Place tray in a baking oven at 435 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 min.
- For the guac, in a separate bowl, mash the avocado and tomato together and mix in a little lemon juice, with black pepper and salt to taste.
- Once potatoes are done cooking and have cooled, enjoy with the guac as a dip.
CHINESE-STYLE FRIED RICE
Ingredients:
1 large block of firm tofu (preferably pressed and drained), cubed *
1 & 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked *
1 bell pepper, diced *
1 cup of chickpeas with any other beans (I used mung beans), soaked overnight, and then cooked together with the brown rice * (if you forget to soak dried beans or chickpeas overnight, just boil them for 15 minutes and leave them soaking in the water with a lid on for about an hour!)
1 tomato, diced or sliced *
1 bundle spinach, chopped *
(optional) 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced *
3 cloves garlic, minced *
1 tbsp vegetable oil *
(for seasoning):
Ground cumin *
Ginger powder *
Store-bought bottle of Chinese five-spice sauce *
Black pepper *
(optional) Chili flakes *
(for tofu marinade):
3/4 tsp brown sugar *
1/2 tsp garlic powder *
1/2 tsp ginger powder *
2-3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari *
Directions:
1. Mix the tofu marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the tofu cubes and toss to ensure all cubes are evenly coated with the marinade. Set aside.
2. Heat the vegetable oil on a large fry pan. Saute the bell pepper and garlic for a while on medium heat.
3. Add the tofu cubes, mushrooms and tomato.
4. Add the cooked rice, chickpeas & beans, and spinach and mix well.
5. Add seasonings to taste and mix well again.
6. Serve when everything is hot and evenly mixed.
FRIED SOBA NOODLES
Ingredients:
1 handful of dry soba noodles *
1/2 red onion, diced *
1 block of medium to firm tofu, drained and cubed *
1 bell pepper, diced *
1 large broccoli, chopped *
Some spring onions or scallion, chopped *
3 cloves garlic, minced *
1 tbsp vegetable oil *
Black pepper to taste *
(for the sauce):
2+ tbsp soy sauce or tamari *
1/2 tsp brown sugar *
1/2 tsp ginger powder *
1/2 tsp garlic powder *
Directions:
1. Boil noodles until soft, then drain.
2. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large fry pan. Saute the garlic, onion and bell pepper until they just start to turn transparent.
4. Add the broccoli and tofu, and lastly the noodles. Pour in the sauce, with black pepper to taste. Mix everything evenly.
5. When everything is hot and the broccoli is green enough, serve with spring onions as a garnish.
ROSEMARY ROASTED POTATOES
The best savory side dish to ANY meal such as this one below!
Ingredients:
2-5 Russet or yellow potatoes, cubed and unpeeled *
Dried rosemary herbs *
Black pepper to taste *
Salt to taste *
Garlic powder to taste *
Vegetable oil *
Directions:
1. Dry the potato cubes as much as you can using a paper towel.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Add the potatoes to a baking tray, along with all the seasonings and a drizzle of vegetable oil. Toss or marinade with hands (I personally love to add as MUCH rosemary as possible).
3. Once the oven has preheated, roast the potatoes for 20-25 minutes.
EASY & QUICK 'CHEESY' PASTA
My most repeated dish ever because of how quick it is to make, and how yummy and healthy it is!
Ingredients:
1/2 can or jar of store-bought tomato pasta sauce, specifically the garlic or the mushroom-flavored one! *
Daiya shredded soy cheese (I used cheddar here) * (also sold at normal groceries but there they come in plastic packaging)
1 broccoli, chopped *
Pasta, as much as you want *
Chickpeas and/or beans, soaked overnight *
1 red bell pepper, diced *
1/2 fresh avocado *
Some nutritional yeast *
Oregano or other herbs *
Directions:
1. Add pasta and chickpeas+beans to salted water that is already boiling in a pot. Leave to boil on medium heat for 9-11 minutes.
2. Saute the bell peppers in a fry pan until transparent. Add the pasta sauce and toss in the broccoli. Cook until the broccoli turns green enough.
3. After the pasta and beans have boiled, drain them.
4. Serve with the sauce, avocado, soy cheese, nutritional yeast, and herbs.
